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“What kind places should i go while traveling in Bali ?” You’ve asked yourself this, and with good reason. As a main travel destinations in Indonesia, Bali had a lot changes of situations in recent years. Not only beautiful beaches, pubs and cafes were lined up at the legian or kuta roads . Some areas of remote villages, also began to prepare to become a part of travel destinations in Bali. So, which parts does Bali's wouldn't changes ? The only one thing that i know is [you can put your answer here....], they culture, the Balinese culture.

Belief it or not, in fact there was a place in Bali were carved for more than years, Where is it ? Just take a minute while you can enjoying a cup of tea at your table nicely.

Some places in Bali has created a nature work art such as Jatiluwih rice terrace in Tabanan, Bali. It was made by Balinese culture for centuries. Balinese farmers work together in a cooperative manner, called Subak. Strong determination and scalable work from each existing Subak in Bali, is also incidentally created a natural work of art, which in 2012 , Subak was recognized consistently for UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You know you are a world traveller when you are standing in a location such as this. This is the quintessential Bali rice field and a UNESCO World Heritage site !

Amazing Scenery in Jatiluwih rice terrace Bali Indonesia

Subak Cultural Background

Since in the mountainous area in the hinterland of Bali it was not easy to find water, were it's needed for the irrigation of rice fields. The farmers in Jatiluwih had to work together creating an irrigation system.

Through up to two kilometer long underground tunnels, and through rocks, aqueducts have been built to make the water flows on the fields where it is distributed. The continuous development and maintenance could not be done by individual farmers.

Subak is the answer, hereditary this organization had runs for centuries and still hold tight for the culture were they ancestor begun.

Some historical manuscipt, from the year of 1071st , Subak organization have been working, not only created a unique system of water supply, but also realized an efficient and environmentally sustainable rice production. As a unified landscape, cultural values, society organizations, and belief systems, Subak can only found in Bali.

There is known at least four Subak were determined as a world heritage, the first is Subak Lake Batur, Subak Pakerisan, Subak Catur Angga Batukaru (Jatiluwih), and the last is Subak Taman Ayun Temple.

Similar places were looks alike with Jatiluwih rice terrace is in Cordillera and the Banaue, Phillippines. Although it looks similar, rituals and belief systems as well as the organization behind the system is very different. It can be seen from the small temple in Jatiluwih rice terrace. The temple is dedicated in honor of Sri, the goddess of rice.

Jatiluwih Rice terrace has a total area of 303.15 ha.There are two items paddy were planted, red and white. Red paddy is usually planted in January with 4-month growing season.While white paddy planted in August with 3-month growing season. Averagely the paddy will be harvest 3 times a year.

Travel to Jatiluwih rice terrace

Jatiluwih rice terrace is located in Penebel district, north of Tabanan city, Bali. Situated at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level, Jatiluwih had a quite cool weather condition. The road up to Jatiluwih isn't good at all nor bad along the way.

Traveling to Jatiluwih, can be reached for 2 hours from Ngurah Rai Airport within 58 kilometers long distance and heading to the north island of Bali. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation such a bus service to Jatiluwih. In order to travel to Jatiluwih, you should take a private driver or tour operator.

Things To do in Jatiluwih

To get the best dramatic scenery in Jatiluwih rice terrace is between dusk or dawn, stay overnight and get a sense in a cozy rustic and far from the bustle of the city chaostic.

In the next morning, you can go down to the rice fields with a couple dollars to see, explore and make some nice conversation with any farmers over there , or just take amazing panoramas with two volcanoes as a backgound.

Meanwhile there is another adventure activities you can do in your travel time in Jatiluwih such as riding an ATV, do mountain cycling, or even tracking up until Tamblingan lake (with tour guide of course).

Jatiluwih Travel Tips

Prepare your panoramic camera ( yes you must!), hat (beware of the sun heat), sandals or shoes, and spare clothes if you want to get dirty. There are public bathroom and toilet nearby the peak to clean yourself.

The paddy will be harvest 3 times a year. July is planting time while October is the harvest time. You should go around September If You want to experience full greenery picture

It will be better if we visited this place in the morning before 10, it will be hot in 12pm. Don't forget to check the weather forecast.

The entry ticket to enter Jatiluwih rice terrace cost around 1 USD, do not lose the ticket until you exit jatiluwih. There are few options for restaurants its OK to prepare your own lunch and eat in the middle of paddy fields but do not trashing.

What do you need from a wreckship which more than 70 years old sink over the sea floor ? If you want to find the answer, please visit Tulamben village in the east coast of Bali Island. The wreckship is still a needs for certain people, even every day, lot of people come to visit, to meet their needs in this wreckship. Is USAT Liberty glo, cargo ship, made in United States, that sank due torpedo kiss from his young lover, Japan's submarine army. 73 year old this ship was already a carrion, but its existence came up to all over the world. And more over, discovering an old decades wreckship through diving activities is very valueable as it the wreckship is becoming the best wreck diving sites in Bali and all over the world.

You will be the one person who witnessed the scarcity of history USAT Liberty wreckship at Tulamben Bali diving site.

Diving in USAT Liberty wreckship in Tulamben Bali

Beside all of it, you can see the diverses of beauty underwater marine life, such a collection of large and small fish, wonderful coral reef were lined up at vessel wall and another marine animals with unique colors and shapes.

Incredible experience will come to you during diving activities in USAT Liberty wreckship. Located on the seabed of Tulamben village, Bali, with 120 meters length , the USAT Liberty wreckship becoming a home for every marine life which is some of them was very rare to see.

History of USAT Liberty wreckship diving site

On January 11, 1942, a ship with 6.211 tons weights of, sailed from Australia to Philippines, bringing a cargo of railways train and rubber, were used for the war at that time. Approximately 19 km north-west of Lombok Strait, the ship - cargo ships USAT Liberty , shot by torpedo were launched by the Japanese army submarine .

US warship, USS Paul Jones and the Dutch warship HNLMS Van Ghent, pulling USAT Liberty heading to the Dutch possessions port in Singaraja, in the northern part of Bali island.
Causes by several damage on USAT Liberty, the ship was impossible to reach to the Dutch port in Singaraja.

To protect and saving all goods carried, the ship anchored in the east coast of Bali, Tulamben village. The ship eventually stranded and remain in Tulamben beach for up to 21 years later.

In 1963, eruption and lava from Mount Agung, causing the ship pushed towards to the shore and drown. Until now, the ship was at a depth of 30 meters or 100 feet (9 to 30 meters) from the water surface

Diving activities in Tulamben

Tulamben beach is rather different from other beaches in Bali. The beach is gently sloping without any sands at the coastline, along the beach it's all covered with varies rounded shapes stones, looks alike black volcanic rocks and cobbles spread along the beach ranging with small and mid sizes. These stones are not slippery and not sharp, hence remains comfortable for your feet. After 20 feet (6 m) in depth the seafloor changes to sand.

Access from the beach to the USAT Liberty wreck just 30 meters from the coast line, with a maximum depth of about 30 meters.

This wreckship diving sites is a dive shore typically of and it's needs little effort to walk from the shallows on the beach, up to the dive site. You can find the bow of the ship at 10 meters depth, and this was the top part of USAT Liberty wreck diving site. For middle part, the hull, it's ranging between 16-20 meters depth. Then the rear part of the ship, touching depths up to 20 -28 meters.

It is estimated that over 300 species of fish live in this area. There is a variety of coral, gorgonians, sponges, frogfish, boxer crab, and ghostpipe fish. Reef and larger fish like Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) are spotted regularly. It is rare, but possible to spot white-tip reef sharks, barracudas,whale sharks and hammerhead sharks.

One thing that makes it special for Tulamben dive site is the sea currents were always tend to be quiet throughout the year. A major reasonable if this diving site is became a very convenient location for diving activities even though for novice divers

The wealth of marine life as well as the convenience path of accessing the USAT Liberty wreckship, make this diving site became very popular among domestic and foreign divers.

Tulamben Beach

Tulamben travel route

Tulamben, is a small village located in the east coast of Bali island, facing to the Lombok Strait which have more richness on marine life habitat. Tulamben village was included in Kubu district territory, the northern part of Karangasem regency, Bali.

From the south of Bali, such as Kuta, Sanur, Seminyak, Ubud, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, or Denpasar, the best way to reach Tulamben diving site is hire a car. Travel time needs around 2-4 hours. This travel destination will passing through another travel spot were you can stop by during the trip such as Candi Dasa beach, Goa Lawa temple, Padang Bai, and Amed beach.

Tulamben travel tips

The best time to visit this USAT Liberty wreckship diving sites is in the dry season, which is between July to September. Avoid visiting in rainy season due snoring and lack visibility around dive site. It's also avoid to traveling or diving in current national holidays, the number of visitors will increase wich is mean diving activity becomes very crowded at the time.

Even in Tulamben have many of hotel room services, it's recommend to book in advance before your upcoming travel.

Do bargain and Negotiate free snorkel gear or discounted dives with your accommodations.

For novice diver, should use dive guide services , in addition to avoiding the risk of dangerous while diving around the wreckship, as you can immediately enjoying the beauty of marine life with more satisfied and comfortable.

It is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance on your upcoming dive trip or travelling to Tulamben, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it.

The stones have been stand for long periode , maybe hundreds years old. Huge and large enough , and can be equals with a house. So robust and stalwart, facing up to the sea and spread up along the beach. With clearly sea water surroundings , submerged those stones partially and forming an unique scenery were stretch along the beach. Alif stone park is one travel destination were located in Riau archipelagos, lies in a cluster with Anambas island which famous as one of the world's travel destination. Located in seaside of sepempang village , east Bunguran, district Natuna, Riau Islands, Alif stone park becoming a travel destination that offers wonderful panoramas of seaside rock garden.

Natuna Island is a part of Riau Islands province, which is consists of 272 islands and being an outermost islands in the north end of Indonesia territory, precisely in the middle of South China Sea. You can reach the Natuna island using direct flights from Batam or by boat from Tanjung Pinang. The distance between Natuna capital city ( known as Ranai ) to Alif Stone Park, it took 15 minutes with 3 kilometers travel trip which can be reach by all transportation mode as it road infrastructure have been applied.

Wonderful Alif stone park

Alif stone park was formed by beautiful giant stones from megalithic time aged and hides many of mysteries for where it comes. You can find here the one unique stone that stand up vertically. This giant andesite stones can be reach up to 4 meters height and spread along the beach with 3 hectares wide area. Inside Alif Stone Park complex, the organizer has built a bridge that connects between one stone with another stone, and it have one meter width.

The bridge was made in addition to simplify every tourist were intend to explore more around the park. Various forms of andesite offers a very unique beauty. Don't missed to watch whale skeleton inside. This whale skeleton is collected when the whale was stranded up at Sujung beach in 2002. Against the clear vast ocean , bright sun, and views of various shapes andesite stones were located in a few hundred feet to the sea is an amazingly beautiful background for every photography lovers.

Alif stone park travel tips

Make sure you have booked a ticket to leave Natuna island , because the transportation on this island is rather difficult. At present, there are available airliners that serve flights from Jakarta to Natuna Island, Tanjung Pinang and Batam.

There is no available yet premium hotels in Natuna Island, do not forget to bring toiletries to prevent unavailable toiletries in regular hotels.

If you are loved snorkeling, diving and other water sports, you should bring your own equipment, which is rarely to hire professional diving equipment around here.

If you want to visit nearby islands in Natuna, like Senoa island and others three island, it suggested to start 11 o'clock until afternoon at 3 pm to prevent low tides for safely boat sail.

Think about Bali , some people will roll out of mind and think some of pristine beaches, surfer, spas, or nightclubs. That is truly perspective mind if they come in ordinary travel season . So, there is closest event will perform in Bali , Bali Arts Festival 2015. Bali Arts Festival 2015 will be rolled out from 13th June to 11th July and took a place in Denpasar, precisely at Bali Art's Center. For one full month, the best of Bali's art will roll out everyday, magnificent Bali dances, music, and artistic expressions. Have you ever come to Bali while the island rolling out the best performance for Balinese music, arts and tradition ? if the answer is No, you had missed completely travel sensation in fantastic island of Bali. Let's check it out for short descriptive about Bali Art's Festival were performed as.

Bali Art Festival Parade

Awesomeness of Bali traditional music sound.

Hearing the music sound of Balinese traditional music art's performance directly such as gamelan or acapella performance will bring so much sensation for mind and soul. The music sounds brought magical ambiance with various rhythm from enchanting Balinese folk song. For example, Balinese traditional arts perform were brought a mystical sounds is Kecak Dance. It sounding the "cak.. cak.. cak.." acapella from 20 until 50 person for at least 45 minutes show time. It's limited sensation and makes valuable moment that you can't hear every time.

Interesting Balinese dance movement

Watching the dancer in Balinese dance show and put more attention to every movement they did, you will feel amaze for what they did. Let put one of Balinese dance, Pendet dance. The eyes movement from the dancer is always following the rhythm of music sound, thus for body swing, the mimic of the face and hands movement. It's being important to shows the main character for every situation in every storyline of dance.

Exotic traditional Bali costume

Bali arts festival brings a lot of arts including costume parade. As a kingdom region in earlier time, Balinese people kept variety of costumes to wear for in each resident both for young and old. Each ceremony and every religion day, they use different pattern and form for each moment. In this festival , you will found exotic variety traditional Bali costume as it shown in costume parade along the festival.

All day is fascinating Balinese culture

Getting involve in Bali Art's Festival will not only feature traditional Balinese performances but also demonstrate collaborations of Balinese with foreign arts. This new collaboration performances is the unique feature of this year. Considering the pride of the Balinese people have in their culture, and the adaptability and dynamic they have always demonstrated, this would bring every travelers were involved would brought amazing experience during festival.

Presented almost each year, Bali Arts Festival features classical dances of the island, such as the legong, gambuh, kecak, barong, mask dances and others like. The richness from Balinese culture will brought every day, one month full and set up your mind with this fully unordinary traveling season in Bali.